(Commonwealth_Europe) At the Thessaloniki International Fair, Greece’s maritime employees’ pension fund, NAT, took a step that felt both symbolic and practical. For the first time, it presented a study dedicated entirely to women in shipping, a sector long considered one of the last male bastions. The study not only presented statistics, but also attempted to illuminate potential transformations and strategies for their implementation.
The numbers only provide a portion of the story. In Greece, women now account for 7.8 per cent of registered maritime jobs. That might sound small, but compared with the global average of just 2.4 per cent, it’s a significant difference. Greece has more than three times the representation seen elsewhere, though the study makes clear that progress is uneven. Globally, women make up nearly one in five people working in the maritime industry, but very few of them actually go to sea. Most stay in classrooms, offices, or government posts. On board ships, they are still rare.
The report, put together by Professor Gabriel Amitsis of the University of West Attica, tries to bridge this gap. It collects 25 examples of international best practices, everything from awareness campaigns and mentoring schemes to awards that highlight trailblazers and tools that can make it easier for women not only to enter shipping but also to stay and grow within it.
What makes this feel like more than just another policy document is the momentum building around it. In her remarks at the event, Labour Minister Niki Kerameus called women in shipping a priority for the government. She reminded the audience that Greece already has three times the global average of female seafarers but urged that “we must seize the opportunity to strengthen the female presence in such a dynamic sector.” Deputy Minister Anna Efthymiou echoed her, stressing that women deserve not just a foothold but a much larger role and that social security itself should evolve to meet their needs.
From NAT’s side, its president, Georgia Maniati, captured the spirit of the occasion when she said, “The shipping of the future cannot be imagined without the female seafarer.” Her words focused less on statistics and more on illustrating a future where women, as part of the crew, are actively shaping global trade alongside men.
Cyprus has been moving in a similar direction. It may not yet have the same detailed data, but its creation of a Shipping Gender Equality Award and government-led surveys shows a willingness to follow the same path as Greece: recording women’s contributions, raising visibility, and rewarding progress. Both countries are beginning to frame female seafarers not only as a matter of equality but also as a source of strength for their maritime industries.
Behind all of these developments lies a simple truth. Global trade relies heavily on shipping, yet its perception has always been predominantly masculine. Studies such as NATs and the emerging policies in Greece and Cyprus are beginning to challenge this perception. They remind us that the ocean, vast and open, has room for everyone. For young women looking at the horizon and imagining a career at sea, these initiatives say: you belong here, too.
